Cookie countdown to the holidays
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream into the sugar and lemon mixture in the large
cheese, butter, and vanilla together until mixing bowl and set aside.
smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat In a medium bowl, mix egg yolks, vanilla
Chef D’s Kitchen
until incorporated. Increase the speed to high extract and lemon juice together.
and mix until very light and fluffy. Using an electric mixer with a paddle attach-
Place cream cheese frosting in a pastry bag ment, pour in the lemon/sugar and flour/butter
by David Blackmon
with a star tip and pipe on top each cookie sprin- mixture and stir until combined, about 15 sec-
kle with finely chopped pecans, if desired onds. Then, while the mixer is still running,
slowly add egg/lemon juice mixture and mix
Iced lemon cookies until well combined and dough pulls away from
the sides of the bowl, about 15 to 30 seconds.
My friends, co-workers and family love me Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
4 cups sugar Scrape the dough into a large bowl and refrig-
this time of year because of my “Magic Cookie Mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking
1/2 cup lemon zest, about 6 to 8 lemons erate until cold, but not solid, about 30 minutes.
Jar.” It's always filled with a different type of powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour Use an ice cream scoop to scoop the dough onto
cookie every two to three days. So in the holi- Cream together the butter and sugar until
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder parchment-lined cookie sheets. Take the dough
day giving tradition for this month I will be light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt balls and roll the tops into the reserved lemon
focusing on cookies and sharing them with you. 1 at a time. Then beat in the buttermilk, vinegar,
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1- sugar. Use the bottom of a water glass to press
For all you red velvet cake fans out there, don't vanilla and red food coloring. Once combined,
inch cubes, chilled the cookies flat, about 1/4-inch thick. Bake the
sleep on this recipe. See you next week. add the dry ingredients to wet. Mix until thor-
5 egg yolks cookies until slightly browned, about 15 min-
oughly combined.
2 teaspoons vanilla extract utes. Remove the parchment paper with the
Red velvet cookies Onto a parchment lined sheet tray, drop batter
3/4 cup lemon juice cookies from the tray to a cooling rack and cool
using an ice cream scoop, forming 2-inch round
Lemon icing, recipe follows completely, about 1 hour. Once the cookies
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour circles.
have completely cooled, ice with Lemon Icing.
2 tablespoons cocoa powder Bake for 10 minutes, until baked through.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Yields: 3 dozen cookies.
1 teaspoon baking powder Cookies should be cake-like and light. Allow to
In a food processor work bowl, add sugar and
1/4 teaspoon baking soda cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then
lemon zest. Process until sugar and zest are well Lemon Icing
1/2 teaspoon salt remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
mixed, about 20 seconds. Scrape into a large 1 pound (2 cups) confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter, room temperature Yields: 4 dozen cookies.
mixing bowl. Reserve about 1/2 cup of lemon 6 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup sugar
sugar in a separate bowl for later use. In a medium bowl, whisk sugar and lemon
2 eggs For the cream cheese frosting:
Add flour, baking powder and salt into food juice together until smooth. Spoon onto cooled
2 tablespoons buttermilk 1 pound cream cheese, softened
processor and pulse briefly to mix. Add cold cookies, and spread evenly with the back of a
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 2 sticks butter, softened
butter into food processor with flour mixture spoon. Let stand on a cooling rack until the
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
and process with short pulses until mixture glaze is set, about 1 hour.
1 tablespoon red food coloring 4 cups powdered sugar
resembles cornmeal and no large lumps of but-
Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans, optional
ter remain, about 10 pulses. Pour this mixture E-mail me: chefblackmon@sbcglobal.net
Stretch a little oil a long way for heathly eats
by Jim Romanoff or even balsamic vinegar. Butternut squash and sage latkes meal, salt, pepper and sage, then toss to coat.
Butternut squash also sometimes can take Start to finish: 45 minutes Add the egg and 2 teaspoons of the oil. Toss
It can be a pleasant surprise when a food the place of potatoes, as in these butternut Servings: 12 to coat.
with butter in its name turns out to be good squash and sage latkes for Hanukkah. In a large nonstick skillet over medium-
for you, as in the case of butternut squash. The squash and onions can be shredded 1 medium onion, shredded (3/4 cup) high, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil. Working in
Along with other winter squashes such as using a box grater or a food processor. Be sure 3 cups shredded butternut squash (1 small batches, use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop the
acorn, delicata and pumpkin, butternut squash to squeeze as much liquid out of the shredded squash) squash mixture into the skillet, leaving sever-
is loaded with vitamins A and C, plus potassi- onion as possible. Otherwise your latkes will 1/4 cup matzo meal al inches between each mound. Use a spatula
um and fiber. It also is filling, has just 65 calo- be too wet and fall apart in the pan. 1/2 teaspoon salt to flatten them into roughly 3-inch pancakes.
ries per cup, has almost no fat, and can have a Latkes are a traditional part of the 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper Cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes
rich flavor that justifies its name. Hanukkah celebration because the oil they are 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage per side. Transfer the latkes to the prepared
Butternut squash also is versatile in the fried in symbolizes the miracle of the small 1 large egg, lightly beaten baking sheet.
kitchen. The high and dry heat of roasting is amount oil that burned for eight days when 6 teaspoons olive oil, divided Bake until the latkes are crispy and hot,
particularly good at enhancing its flavor of by the temple was under siege. about 10 minutes.
caramelizing the natural sugars it contains. This recipe honors that story by using a few Heat the oven to 450 F. Lightly coat a bak- Nutrition information per serving (values
For a quick and easy side, toss seeded and teaspoons of olive oil to brown the latkes in ing sheet with cooking spray. are rounded to the nearest whole number):
cubed butternut squash in a bit of olive oil and the pan before they are crisped to perfection Spread the shredded onions between 2 109 calories; 67 calories from fat; 7 g fat (1 g
roast at 400 F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until in a hot oven. Serve with a dollop of sour sheets of paper towel and squeeze out as saturated; 0 g trans fats); 15 mg cholesterol;
quite tender. Serve it seasoned with salt and cream, applesauce or both. much moisture as possible. Transfer the 10 g carbohydrate; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber; 249
pepper, or if you like, a drizzle of maple syrup onions to a large bowl. Add the squash, matzo mg sodium. AP
Chicago Defender • ChicagoDefender.com • December 9-15, 2009
35
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